Electric

Feds Ramping Up Purchase of Zero-Emission Vehicles

March 24, 2015
• by Staff

Photo courtesy of WhiteHouse.gov.

The federal government plans to increase its purchasing of zero-emission vehicles, following an executive order signed by President Obama requiring 50 percent of the federal fleet to be battery-electric or hydrogen vehicles by 2025.

Obama, who signed the order on March 19, said he hopes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the federal fleet by 30% by 2025. The federal government maintains a fleet of 655,000 vehicles.

During the first 10 months of 2014, federal, state, and local governments registered 175,122 vehicles, which included 512 EVs. The agencies added 7,048 hybrids, which represented 4%, according to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

As another part of the order, the U.S. Department of Energy will assist the U.S. Postal Service in evaluating and adding "the best alternative and advanced fuel technologies" for the USPS fleet. The USPS has begun the process of selecting a next-generation delivery vehicle.

Electric vehicle charging software and solutions provider Greenlots has announced a collaboration with Volvo Trucks to deploy electric truck charging infrastructure for trucks operating out of warehouses in Southern California.

Volkswagen's Electrify America will spend $2.7 million on an education and outreach campaign about zero-emission vehicles by working with California community groups in low-income areas, the group has announced.